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D e s i g n : w w w. L a u r a Z . n e t
Photos: Cally Matherly
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Issue 8
contents inside 08. PRE - Breed Feature ~ J.P. Giacomini 22. Yeguada Cárdenas 32. Jolandar & Carletto 38. Master Miguel Tavorá
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08 92 44. Raquel Falcão 48. Jody Hartstone & Ali Baba 54. Summerwind’s Miracle baby
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58. Golegã Horse Fair 66. Jenny Rolfe 68 Manolo Mendex 74. Braiding with Miguel Pires 80 Just4Fun 82 Horses for Sale 84. Zaldi - A family tradition
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88. The 3C’s of Dressage ~ Barrie Stratton 92 The Forest Boyz Living the Dream 97 Riz’s Rant
©Baraque Horse Magazine AU. 2011 All Rigths Reserved. No part of this publication, editorial or advertisement, may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of the advertisements within this publication is the responsibility of the advertiser. Although due care is taken in the preparation and publication for all advertising material, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or for any consequential effects. Opinions and statements made by others in submitted text may not be the same as those held by either the publisher or the editor.
LETTER FROM
THE EDITOR Issue 9 - of Baroque Horse. March-April 2013 (next issue out May)
Editor-In-Chief Danielle Skerman
So, another year has passed and we are already well into 2013! We hope you have enjoyed the first year of Baroque Horse and will like what we are doing to help promote and educate all about our wonderful breeds in 2013. We’ve started the New Year with a new look and branding to Baroque Horse along with a new website too. Many of you may already have seen the new website; we have lots of new features and services to our readers; we have a forum for our readers to talk all things horsey (we do ask that everyone please keep it friendly in there); we also have a new worldwide breeder’s directory. This will be a great place for people to find studs and stallions of all breed types. We want to help you find a horse or your horse to be found. On the new website, we have a page dedicated to each breed where you can find more information and shall have extra breed related articles in a news feed. If you have an event coming up please let us know and we can feature it or if you’ve just had one, and you’d like to share the results and photos or links to photos. Absolutely anything relevant to your breed that you’d like to share, please do! In every issue we shall do a feature on a particular breed. This issue we are having a look at the gorgeous PRE horse with a great article by J.P. Giacomini and we’ve also taken a look at the world famous PRE stud, Yeguada Cárdenas. Next issue we shall be featuring the Lusitano! In November last year, we attended Australia’s Equitana in Melbourne and had a terrific time meeting many of our readers. Thank you to everyone who took the time to come and say hello! It was great to talk and meet people in person. We had an amazing response there and it was wonderful to hear the amount of people saying that they LOVE one or many of the baroque breeds! The best part was to see people really open up to the breeds and want to know more. Let’s hope we can see even more people go for baroque! We want to hear from YOU too; we want to tell your real life stories. If you have one or know of one that you think is pretty special, please do contact us - we’d love to hear from you. Join us in our journey and ... go for BAROQUE!
an m r e k S e l l e i Dan Editor in Chief
www.baroquehorsemagazine.com Publisher: Baroque Horse PTY LTD ACN: 159 279 848 PO Box 18002 Clifford Gardens, Toowoomba QLD, Australia 4350 Editor In Chief: Danielle Skerman editor@baroquehorse.com.au +61 404 843 636 Advertising: Patty Taylor advertising@baroquehorse.com.au +61 419 363 635
On The cover:
Sub Editor: Anita Budgeon advertising2@baroquehorse.com.au
Photographers: Cátia Castro, Antonio Mendonca, Christiane Slawik, Danielle Skerman, Laura Zugzda, PPYO, Debbie Stevens Contributors: Cátia Castro, Danielle Skerman, Caroline Larrouilh, Manolo Mendez, Riz Ilyas, Jenny Rolfe, Lynn Kelley, Jody Hartstone, Laura Zugzda, JP Giacomini, Jessica Morton, Barry Stratton, Riz Ilyas
Photo by Cátia Castro of Cárdenas horse: Quisquilloso MAC w w w. bar o q u e hors e m ag az i nE.com
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THE PRE
Photos: Christiane Slawik
BY JP GIACOMINI
UNICORN | WARHORSE | ATHLETE
Most people are attracted to PREs (the acronym for their Spanish name: the Pura Raza Española ) for their elegant beauty, their fairy-tale looks, their elegant necks and their luxuriant manes and tails. But after spending a little time with them, people fall in love with the PRE’s character. The PRE wants to learn, do his job, and mostly, please his rider. It is only after a little more time, that people become amazed by the PRE’s athleticism and versatility.
J.P. Giacomini studied dressage full-time with Master Nuno Oliveira and at the Portuguese National Stud of Alter Real for over 4 years. He trained his first of 15 Grand Prix dressage horses when aged 17 and rode horses trained by French, German and Portuguese masters. J.P. has helped more than 10,000 remedial horses during 45 years of teaching in 13 countries and is widely considered a master at training Piaffe and Passage with very different breeds. He owned and trained the famous Lusitano show-jumper Novilheiro (leading British money earner of his time) and invented the relaxation technique known as “Endotapping”. With his wife Shelley, they breed Lusitanos and Andalusians In Kentucky, USA (www.baroquefarmsusa. com). JP recently translated, prefaced and annotated a major book about Nuno Oliveira: “The Wisdom of Nuno Oliveira” - Xenophon Press. You can obtain a signed copy by emailing jpgiacomini@gmail.com. For more information about JP, go to www.jpgiacomini.com or visit his educational site www.EquusAcademy.com.
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YEGUADA Cร RDENAS Below: D. Miguel Angel de Cรกrdenas holding Fuego
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Inspired
Horses Who
The World Ar ticle & Photos by
Cátia Castro
www.cmcequinephoto.com
At the present time, the owner of the Y. Cárdenas is D. Miguel Angel Cárdenas Osuňa, with more than 60 mares and 10 stallions of the PRE breed. Their consistent selection has been carried out by two generations of almost 60 years, and have won the top prize Champions of Spain 5 times. The 1st awarded champions of the Y. Cárdenas were “ Vasallo II “and” Valido “, both sons of “ Bilbaíno III “. This was in the 50s. “Bilbaíno III” was covering mares for about 12 years, so they chose two of the best sons and kept them as stallions. The “Vasallo II” sister, (of sire and dam), were having sons of “Valido” and vice versa. Thereby Y. Cárdenas obtained a fabulous homogeneity. Later “Poseído III” was bought from the Terry Stud, as were horses from the Y. Del Bocado, and from the Military Stud Farm. In order to refresh the blood lines of the Stud, D. Miguel A. Cárdenas in 2004 acquired a particular horse called “Fuego”, who at the age of 4, already revealed some impressive movements for dressage. Fuego was acquired from the Miguel Bohórquez Ruiz Stud Farm, located in Jerez de La Frontera - Spain.
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J O L A N D A
&
C A R L E T T O
By Jessica Morton Photo’s by: Super Guus & Checco Curci (pg36)
Throughout history the horse was a precious ally to man during tough times, especially in battle. Perhaps this is why historians have traditionally recorded these relationships – connections such as Bucephalus and Alexander the Great, Marengo and Napolean, and Robert E Lee’s ‘Traveller’. Partnerships that wrote the history books, and bonds that transcend time. There is however something unique about the bond a woman has with her horse . A softer, feminine relationship, less about survival and battle, and more about friendship and trust. Stacey Westphall captured the public’s imagination when her bareback, bridle-less demonstration went viral on the internet, and let’s not forget the fairytale of Rembrandt and Nicole Uphoff, with who she went on to successively win two Olympic gold medals, and owned from the age of 14. Dutch/Italian dressagerider and instructor Jolandar Adelaar is more than just a pretty face. Competing and performing on her Fjord gelding Guus, the student, entrepreneur and devoted horse owner is symbolic of what an amazing bond between a girl and her horse can produce with years of hard work and patience. Guus, a red dun Norwegian Fjord, was purchased from a holiday riding center in the Dutch woods when Jolanda was only 12 years old. Without the means to keep her first horse in a professional stable, Jolanda boarded Guus in the neighbour’s cattle fields, and rode him bareback amongst the cattle until she could afford a saddle.
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Master Miguel Tavora:
A Master For All Riders
Master Miguel Távora was born in Portugal, son of the 9th Marquis and Marchioness of Abrantes. He started riding with Master Nuno Oliveira at the age of 8, for about 10 years. Later Miguel Távora attended the Military Academy. In his military career he completed the Course of Instructors and later the Course of Masters in the Portuguese Military and Civilian Riding Academy of Mafra (CMEFED) where is was later appointed as Chief Instructor and Director of the Equestrian Division of this school. He competed in Eventing, Show Jumping and Dressage. Miguel has lived in Australia for more than 30 years, where he and his wife Dianne run their own Equestrian Centre (M & D Távora School of Equitation). Miguel is a NCAS Level III Instructor (dressage specialist). Ar ticle & Photos by
Cátia Castro
www.cmcequinephoto.com
BHM interviewed Miguel Távora in the centenarian Hipical Society of Lisbon Portugal, where he held a 3 day clinic. BHM: Where does your interest in riding come from? MT: Perhaps because I had an uncle who took me riding when I was very young. I fell in love with horses and riding, which is an art and sport, that I consider more of an art than a sport. It’s something that you feel. My parents had no connection to horses; we lived in Lisbon in an apartment. My uncle was a very famous show jumper at that time, Rodrigo Pereira Castro, and he took me to Master Nuno de Oliveira and I started to ride horses. At that time there was neither small nor great masters, there was no difference if you were new or an old man. Before a great teacher taught everyone, not like now where you select people you want to teach. Today, riding teachers are more selective, as today there are more teachers and more people riding; now the riding instructor has to teach more beginners. At the time there was no differentiation and people had more access to the great masters. BHM: Master Nuno Oliveira considered you one of his best students. How do you feel about this? MT: I do not consider myself in any way one of the best students of Master Nuno Oliveira, I was his riding student and he was a great master who helped me a lot. I am a person who likes equestrianism, horses, teaching horses, teaching people to ride, helping them ride better with my experience. I learnt from Master Nuno de Oliveira the respect for the horse, the respect for ethics and to use the correct techniques to ride a horse, using tact, instinct and always remembering that the horse is an extraordinary animal, who is our friend and who therefore has to be respected and then enjoy while giving the horse the best possible life he can have. The experience of riding horses is both an art and a science, and like any other arts, arts have a technical background. If the person likes riding then that person can learn, and at my age I’m still learning. Every day that I go to ride, when I give a lesson, it never gets boring and this fact arouses curiosity and interest, is not that I can say that I know everything. We learn every day. When people fail to achieve those goals and dreams they sometimes have, they feel frustrated, they give up and turn to other things, and for those people it’s just the winning that matters. I tell all my students that winning is secondary, what matters is the respect for the horse, the love for the horse, and enjoying riding and the horse and its art, and receiving what the horse can give us and what the art can give us. When I am giving a lesson, and 3 8.
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...Winning is secondary, what matter is the respect for the horse...
that horse who was very nervous and could not walk a step, when I get him to do a nice and relaxed walk, that for me is like winning a gold medal at the Olympic games - the horse was relaxed, felt happy for the first time in the lesson, that it is the goal of riding. BHM: How do see Equestrianism today, what changed? MT: In sporting terms it has never been as popular as it is today, horse breeding never developed as much before from when I was a young boy as it is now. Before equestrianism it was based on the army, because they were the only ones who had money to have horses, and it was said at the time, that if the army and the military failed to have horses, equestrianism was over, but now we see that the army no longer has horses and equestrianism is not over. Today we have a more materialistic life, and the horse puts us in touch with nature and is a way of escape for many people. There are people with intellectual occupations that have a passion for the horse and can be turned off and relax, I think that’s what attracts some people. And we have the other part, the sport, that which is much more developed now than in my time. There are so many TV channels and magazines where you can see equestrian sports, and this attracts the sport and competition, and that of course influences the love of art. Today we see many people attending Dressage events, the world has evolved. Never did we see so many people riding like today, and with that people never
rode as well as today, but people never rode so bad either, because there are so many more people riding, with more access. BHM: What’s the secret to be a good riding master? MT: You have to ask my students this. I’m not a good teacher, no way, I am an enthusiastic teacher. Because I’m an old man, and I am full of cold sometimes, and sit in the chair 2 minutes, but suddenly I see the horse doing something and I jump from the chair, and go to the middle of the ring, because I get enthusiastic, I want to take part, to participate as much as I can, because I like to be in contact with the student, to help, and I love it. To like what I do is maybe my secret. So I try to help as much as possible. BHM: Do you think people must have a gift for riding well? MT: No... you must have a minimum amount, then you must like to study and work. I consider myself a reasonable teacher because I am not a natural born rider, I had colleagues who have begun to learn at the same time I did, with more natural ability than I had, but because I liked it so much and studied so hard and applied myself I’ve managed to have reasonable results. And because I’m not a particularly gifted person that helps me to realize more most of the problems that students who are like me have. I can help them more than a teacher who finds himself a genie, who can not understand the problem
of a human who is not like them, and is not able to transmit the teachings that for them became natural, as innate. For me, not being gifted, that’s an advantage I have, I don’t have any natural talent, but as I liked riding so much I could learn, I can understand the problems of my students, I had these problems when I was learning to ride and it helps me as a teacher. BHM: What makes a good riding teacher/ master? MT: Most of all you have to respect the horse, first thing. After that, do not take the horse as a slave, or an object of pleasure, but as an animal created by God or nature or whatever you believe, and that we have to respect. Think of it as a sport but it is a sport connected to art, always thinking that it is not a matter of winning or losing but a challenge to perfect ourselves, to improve. BHM: What makes a good horse? MT: Nowadays, a good horse must have a good morphological conformation, good temperament, good functionality. Functionality is linked to the model, movements and temperament. It has to be functional, not like a horse breed I know who are very beautiful but does not function, it must be a horse that is functional. So someone who knows about horses can look at a horse and say this horse can run, can jump, can bullfight, can do dressage. This functionality that depends on blood lines and temperament is what makes a good horse. There are good horses today,
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LUSITANO SPORT
Generation Article and photos by Cátia Castro
Raquel Falcão is a 27 year old Portuguese dressage rider and trainer, who has been making a solid and consistent career with her own Lusitano Stallion - Real (JB), and most recently, Arjentino (AR) – also a Lusitano, at Prix St George level. Competing amongst more experienced and renowned riders, she is the Reserve Champion of the Portuguese Cup 2012 at Grand Prix level with Real (JB). Raquel invited us to see her training in the sunny vineyard countryside of Arruda dos Vinhos - Portugal and share her story
BHM: How long have you been riding and when did you seriously get into dressage? RF: I started riding when I was 8 years old here in Portugal. My father was looking for a place to have some lessons and took me along with him for company. None of us thought it would get so serious later… I had lessons in several places, most of them related to the Lusitano horse and classical equitation. I competed in some elementary tests, but it was only when I started training with Daniel Pinto that I started to take it more seriously. BHM: What made you like dressage? RF: I started by learning classical equitation, which has a lot of common points with dressage. What I like about dressage is the discipline, the search for perfection and the wonderful connection between horse and rider.
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BHM: You own a beautiful Lusitano named Real; he is currently your competition horse for Grand Prix. Tell us about how you found your competition equine partner? RF: At the time we were riding at Dr Guilherme Borba’s place, having lessons with António Borba Monteiro (a prominent classical rider at the time in Portugal). António’s cousin, Júlio Borba had two colts by Hostil (a reference to a Lusitano bloodline breed) and Nobreza, a mare out of Xaquiro (another big reference to the Lusitano’s breed improvement bloodlines). One of them was Soberano and the other one was Real. As soon as my father saw Real, he fell in love with him and bought him. He was 4 years old. For many years we only had him for pleasure. It was only when I started to get interested in dressage and competition that we thought about schooling him in a more serious way. Real and I had some problems finding the right trainer.
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Master Miguel Tavora:
Master for all riders AaLusitano for me?
By Jody Hartstone
Photo: PPYO
Many people may wonder why New Zealand Grand Prix rider Jody Hartstone has recently strayed away from the Warmblood stallions she is renowned for and headed instead to the Iberian Peninsular to look for her next dream horse. After many successes with the Holsteiner stallion Landioso, Hanoverian Whisper and the Rheinlander Donnerwind, Jody decided it was time for a change. The New Zealand market is flooded with Warmbloods now, and after watching the success of Fuego for the Spanish at WEG Kentucky, the seeds of thought for an Iberian beauty were sewn.
Many people may wonder why New Zealand Grand Prix rider Jody Hartstone has recently strayed away from the Warmblood stallions she is renowned for and headed instead to the Iberian Peninsular to look for her next dream horse. After many successes with the Holsteiner stallion Landioso, Hanoverian Whisper and the Rheinlander Donnerwind, Jody decided it was time for a change. The New Zealand market is flooded with Warmbloods now, and after watching the success of Fuego for the Spanish at WEG Kentucky, the seeds of thought for an Iberian beauty were sewn. It was time to import something different. Two years ago I was talking to my good friend Reisa Bonetti from www.DressageTrainingOnLine.com about buying a new stallion. Reisa said “Have you thought about a Lusitano?” and I said “A Luso what?!” I kind of knew it was some exotic breed - but I have to admit I knew very little else. I got straight on to Google and up popped a video of a US based Lusitano stallion called Sansao and the video was accompanied by the most exquisite song I think I have ever heard - in Portuguese - “Chuva” by the Fado singer Mariza. I was in love, and from that day my journey to find myself the Portuguese stallion of my dreams was set in place. I got onto Google again and read about an Australian girl,
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Sarah Warne, based in Portugal and who was very keen to help out anybody from “Down Under” who was wanting to buy a Lusitano horse. I emailed Sarah and from there the journey began. In July of 2011 my good friend Michelle Zielazo and I set off for Spain and Portugal for an unforgettable few weeks. We had rung agents in both countries who all promised to show us the Lusitano stallion of our dreams. We searched high and low, and tried many, many horses of Lusitano and PRE heritage. The vision in my head was unwavering. I wanted a tall, grey Lusitano stallion, preferably with a flowing mane and tail, capable of competing internationally at Grand Prix level. The budget was not huge although I must admit I am more than blessed to have the support of Erin and Warrick Mortimer from Warkworth to help in the purchase of my dream horse. An incredible journey then ensued - with many trials and tribulations along the way. We met so many wonderful people and horses but the search for my dream horse was nothing if not frustrating. No sooner would I find a horse and think “this is the one” only to have the dreaded blood tests fail. Or go as far as getting it X-rayed and the X-rays
&
Jody Hartstone
Ali Baba
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Our Miracle Baby!
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By Lynn Kelley
O
n October 27th, 2012, all time stopped when we got the call. It was our miracle being born! And we raced to the barn! History was being written. Gaia do Summerwind is the first Mangalarga Marchador horse born in North America using frozen semen exported from Brazil. Ho Hum, you say! It happens all the time. Not true. Not for this breed and not for Brazil. In Brazil, each breed is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and overseen by the breed association. The ABCCMM (the Marchador Breeders Association) had to modify its registration regulations to allow the use of frozen semen. Then the Ministry of Agriculture had to approve these rules for MM semen exportation and license veterinarian clinics for collection and exportation. There is not much need for frozen semen in Brazil. With so many horses and land, the preferred method of breeding is still live cover. It took several years. While we waited for regulations and semen, we worked on how to utilize the new technology of breeding with our Scottsdale
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GOLEGÃ HORSE FAIR:
the ancient Lusitano tribute //
LorThe National Horse Fair held annually in Golegã, in early November, is the biggest horse fair in Portugal. It is the only one of its kind in the world, making Golegã a mecca for all Lusitano horse lovers, gaining year after year more and more national and international enthusiasts. Photo: António Mendonça 5 8.
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GOLEGÃ Horse Fair The Ancient Lusitano tribute //
Ar ticle & Photos by
Photos by
Cátia Castro
António Mendonça
www.cmcequinephoto.com
www.acmendonca.net
photo: Cátia Castro
From 1833, and with the support given by the Marquis of Pombal, the fair began to take an important competitive nature, performing equestrian contests and competitions of various horse breeds
Golegã Horse Fair takes place annually in the village of the same name, in the heart of Portugal. Characterized by the fertility of the land, the abundance of pastures and the beauty of its distinctly rural landscapes, Golegã maintains the traditional Portuguese architecture with equestrian themes all over the village. The monumental and artistic heritage that exists in the village of Golegã, which includes churches, chapels, museums Museum of the History of the Horse, art-galleries, and the Natural Park of “Paul Boquilobo” - ranked Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, makes it worth a visit.
History & Traditions In 1571, the current Golegã Fair began as a tribute to St. Martin (S. Martinho), and today is also known as the The National Horse Fair and International Lusitano Horse Fair. From 1833, and with the support given by the Marquis of Pombal, the fair began to take an important competitive nature, performing equestrian contests and competitions of various horse breeds. The best horse breeders were a constant presence in Golegã then. From the mid-eighteenth century the fair was called “St Martin’s Fair” until 1972, the date from which it changed its name to The National Horse Fair. The National Horse Fair is the most important and typical of all fairs of its kind in the world taking place in Portugal. In the nineteenth century, based on the
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59.
Manolo Mendez was the first Head Rider, and one of six founding members of the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. Based in Jerez, Spain, the school is one of the four classical schools which also include the Cadre Noir in Saumur, the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art in Lisbon. A master horseman with over forty years of experience spanning classical dressage, doma vaquera and jumping, Manolo is dedicated to a soft, sympathetic and thorough training method which prepares horses physically and psychologically for each stage of training from training to Grand Prix and Haute Ecole. For more information on Manolo visit: www.manolomendezdressage.com.
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Manolo Mendez On our farm, for many years we had sheep and cattle. Many a time, I accompanied my uncle on three and four day trips to the village markets where we sold them. We slept like cowboys, outside, our saddles for pillows, wrapped in our serapes. We herded our sheep and cows on horseback through brush, Pinsapo Spanish Fir, Almond, Olive, Poplar and Cork trees, and I learned to anticipate their actions and keep them together, dashing at full speed or slaloming between trees, sometimes jumping small dry arroyos (creeks) to bring back renegade sheep, calves or independent cows back to the path.
Photo: Back then...Manolo on the white horse with Juan Cid in the seventies at an Acoso y Derribo competition. They came second that day. Sadly Juan has passed away.
Balance is Confidence: Lessons Learned From Working Equitation by Manolo Mendez with Caroline Larrouilh
“Learning
instinctively how to move fluidly with my horse“
The brown leather chaps I wear are over seventy-five years old. The carefully oiled, supple hide was cut, hand tooled and stitched together for my uncle before me and I have held them dear for fortyfive years now. I am the only one who handles, cleans and folds them, they are a modest but priceless treasure. They are also a reminder of where I came from over 30 years ago, and of a way of riding and training horses, of understanding horses, that I was born into, and use every day, in one form or another. Spain has a rich and long tradition of working equitation: classical and country dressage used to manage vast herds of sheep, cattle and bulls. The first lesson I learned was about rider balance.
Learning instinctively how to move fluidly with my horse, to over take, spin around, bring back or sometimes separate cattle or sheep. Leaning forward into the speed, leaning sideways to avoid branches, turning back to situate myself, without even thinking about it as a riding education, I learned to stay “alive” in the saddle. I learned to place my body where it helped my horse best, to stay balanced in the saddle without pulling on the reins, clamping my legs or pushing my seat into the horse’s back whether I was sitting, standing, leaning or turning my body half way left or right. I rode to stay on, and help my horse succeed in doing the work I asked of him, as conservatively and effectively as he possibly could. We were poor, our horses were essential to the working of our farm, it would have been unacceptable in my family to bring back a lame or exhausted horse to my mother, a gifted horsewoman. It has never made sense to me that a rider should sit anchored into a horse, elbows glued to the sides, hands and legs fixed. Demanding that the horse comply to their balance, when a rider is perhaps 15-20% of a horse’s weight, and it is he, the horse, who does the majority of the work. Today, I still ride in independent balance and I still adapt to the horse beneath me as he learns to carry himself and a rider on his
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69.
Miguel
Pires Ar ticle & Photos by
Cรกtia Castro
www.cmcequinephoto.com
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talks braiding
Drawings and paintings of classic equitation and braided horses, can be seeing through the years. What captured our attention was
the drawings of the book “Luz da Liberdade e Nobre Arte da Cavalaria” (Noble Art of Horsemanship) written in 1790 by Manoel Carlos de Andrade.
From the rider’s costumes, to the saddles, technique and exercises, and of course images of braided horses, this book is a precious document that serves as basis for the current Portuguese School of Equestrian Art (P.S.E.A.). We can see in this picture an example of a braided horse at the time of the eighteenth century taken from the Andrade’s book.
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rawings and paintings of classic equitation and braided horses have been seen through the years. What captured our attention was the drawings of the book “Luz da Liberdade e Nobre Arte da Cavalaria” (Noble Art of Horsemanship) written in 1790 by Manoel Carlos de Andrade. From the rider’s costumes to the saddles, technique and exercises, and of course images of braided horses, this book is a precious document that serves as basis for the current Portuguese School of Equestrian Art (P.S.E.A.). We can see in this picture an example of a braided horse at the time of the eighteenth century taken from Andrade’s book. And who better to speak about braided horses than the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art’s chief of grooms: Miguel Pires. Considered by many a great master in his art of braiding and embellishment of the horses, Miguel Pires is now a fundamental part of P.S.E.A., and his services are in demand by many private clients for their horses on the day of a competition or presentation, when they are required to be impeccably at their best, and the best is only with Miguel Pires. BHM was with one of his private clients, and we watched paying great attention to all the details and explanations in order to try and replicate and practice with our own horses back home. But first let’s know a little more about Miguel Pires:
BHM: How long do you take to braid a horse?
Horse with the ribbons: (Divor dos Rios, Grey horse)
MP: Usually 1 hour. Every horse that we work on in their stables must be well fed, not thirsty and in a good mood, because if the horse is thirsty or hungry he won’t have behave and will become restless when braiding. Whenever there is a show or competition, all this work has to be organized beforehand allowing plenty of time and always coordinating with the start of the event time. 1 hour is averaged for each horse; we have to clean them from ears to tail, including the hooves and then the braiding. In the School, one hour to an hour and a half before the spectacle we start putting the saddles on and preparing them, and there must be time allowed for the rider to warm up the horse (some horses need more time, others less), but the key is having control of the time. The horse has to get warm to prevent injuries.
MP: This is a kind of braiding used in the P.S.E.A (usually with yellow and white ribbons), other classical riding shows, and bull fighters. You start by doing a full braid and then you apply the one ribbon on each side with the needle. The ribbon must be around 5 cm wide, and the needle must be around 6 cm with a good resistance, so as not to break or injure the horse. When you apply the ribbon, you must know if the audience will be seeing the show from above the rider/horse, or at the same level, because that determines how you are going to put the ribbon on. If the audience is above the rider/horse, you put the ribbon higher up the braid, if the audience is on the same level, you put the ribbon further down the horse’s neck. In this example, I’ve put the ribbon as if the spectators were above the horse/rider. The intervals between the ribbon must each be about the size of a palm.
BHM: how did you start this work? MP: I started working in the Alter Real Stud Farm, I even rode a few horses there, “Jacaré” and “Emboi” were two horses I’ll never forget. Then I started to work for the P.S.E.A. in 1995. Having worked a few years there I was already giving my support to the School, at National and International level. In 1995, the School moved to Queluz Palace, and in 1996 a big group of riders entered the School, and one of them was Pedro Torres (later World Champion of Working Equitation). Outside of the School, I started braiding his horses with ribbons, then Pedro Torres started to compete with Oxidado and Navarro, and it was in those competitions that people started to see my work with the horses, trusting me with their horses for braiding and to accompany the horses in long travels through Europe. w w w. bar o q u e hors e m ag azi nE.com
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The 3C’s of
Dressage
&
Calm, Confident
Connected
By Barrie Stratton
A simple formula used to school and assess horses, as well as coach riders. By Barrie Stratton: a National ‘A’ level dressage judge, Judge Educator, Mentor and trainer and coach of horses and riders from Novice to Grand Prix levels. Email: barrie@thestrattonfamily.com Mobile: 0400 639 909 Web: www.academyofdressage.com.au
The 3C’s and the Training Scale This is the second in the series on the topic of the 3C’s. The previous article described how a calm, confident and connected horse can realistically progress through the 6 elements of the Training Scale. Those elements are rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection. The Training Scale is the basis used in coaching and judging dressage today and all riders should be thoroughly familiar with it if they want their horse to reach its full potential. This article will examine the approach I use when schooling to obtain a calm, confident and connected horse.
Barrie’s student Marleen Hunt on Fabuloso F. Harmony, focus and elastic engagement
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The trainable horse A horse is only going to develop the qualities of the 3C’s if they are trainable. To achieve that desirable mental and physical state, a horse needs to be: • Free from pain • Displaying a good work ethic through responding to the rider’s accurately and tactfully applied aids • Focused at all times on the rider’s requests • Ridden in a harmonious way by the rider I will now expand on what defines these qualities:
A pain free horse This implies a healthy horse with supple joints, appropriately developed musculature, feet in good condition and teeth properly maintained six monthly by an equine dentist. Before working a newly arrived horse, I always have an equine chiropractor check the horse all over and make any necessary adjustments to ensure the horse is in optimal condition for the proposed schooling. It is very important that the bridle, bit or bits if using a double bridle and saddle are fitted correctly. The bridle should have a brow band long enough that the headpiece is not pulled forward onto the sensitive back of the ears. The noseband must not be so tight that it interferes with the horse relaxing its jaw. It is common for bits to be too wide. This results in the bit moving from side to side in the mouth, causing discomfort on the tongue, bars and lips. It also needs to be wide enough to avoid pinching the lips and positioned at the correct height, usually producing one to two wrinkles in the lips. The type of snaffle, whether Mullen Mouth, single or double jointed, loose ring, eggbutt or Baucher often needs experimentation to ensure suitability for the purpose and the horse’s comfort.
The horse’s work ethic Just as the rider gains an initial opinion of the horse’s characteristics as soon as mounting and moving off, so does the horse draw an opinion of the worth of the rider. The horse needs to be educated so that it ‘understands’ and responds positively to the rider’s request to move forwards. Through correct and consistent training, the horse will move off willingly into whatever pace and gait being requested. This educated response should and can be achieved without use of a whip or spur. Educating horses to be responsive is essential. The horse’s desire to move forwards allows the rider to channel that energy, originating from engaged hindquarters, into graceful dressage that is performed in a flowing and rhythmical manner. Very often we see riders using their spurs habitually, whether doing an upward transition, or simply to maintain engagement. With correctly trained horses the spur is kept in reserve to occasionally enhance responsiveness or activity, and most often should not need to be used at all. The spur is there to refine the rider’s leg aids. If a horse does not respond to a mere tap of the legs, then correct re-schooling and education of the horse is necessary. It is sad to see riders eternally using spurs because their horse has learnt to ignore their rider’s leg aids. When performing a half pass, the energy and impulsion must be confirmed well in advance of performing that movement. If the rider has to continually remind the horse to maintain impulsion during the lateral movement, then the quality of the half pass suffers. To produce a horse with a good work ethic, it is critical for the rider to harmonise with the horse. (See ‘Being in harmony with the horse’ in this article.) Horses dislike strong leg and rein aids and when used they stiffen, may swish their tails or grind their teeth. I often see horses disregarding their rider’s request to move forwards and they then resort to the inappropriate use of whip or spurs. If a rider is having a lesson and during that lesson I decide to ride and re-school the horse, I begin the work
Barrie’s wife Sarita Stratton riding Andalusian stallion Manuka Agentino in a positive but sensitive way, ensuring I am in harmony with the horse every moment of every stride. Soon the horse learns to trust and respect me. What follows is the development of a supple horse with elastic paces. As the suppleness evolves, so does the horse’s response to the slightest leg aid, and eventually, to the rider’s body language.
The horse remaining focussed The horse learning to focus on its work develops a positive work ethic. The minds of both horse and rider need to be totally absorbed by the work they are doing each and every stride. This may sound easy, but in fact it takes a lot of practice. It is a matter of ‘being there in the moment’. The rider should have neither a tight grip on the horse’s mouth, nor strong legs on the hose’s sides. In this precise form of riding which is indeed an acquired art, each moment of every step is monitored and the horse’s energy channelled into a balanced and rhythmical gait. As a result, horse and rider form a unique union of ‘one-ness’. Hence the qualities of suppleness, impulsion and elasticity of steps are all ameliorated. In this union the horse is the body, which without hesitation, senses and responds to the rider’s mind. The precision needed by the rider to attain this almost meditative state, results in the horse focusing on its work so there is infinite harmony between horse and rider. It is then that the pinnacle of dressage is attained, regardless of the simplicity or complexity of the movement and pace being executed. Being in harmony with the horse Harmony between horse and rider is a prerequisite for achieving a state
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Ar ticle & Photos by
Laura Zugzda www.lauraz.net
he first time I saw a photo of a Friesian stallion, I thought I was looking at something out of a Da Vinci sketchbook. I didn’t realize that such a horse existed, and I dreamt of having one of these big black stallions in my life. I had heard that there was nothing like the heart of a stallion, and I wanted to find out for myself if it was true. Not only did that dream come true, but I never ever could have imagined that it would evolve into a bachelor herd of 3, the Forest Boyz. Meike, Menno and Saphire have always taught me what they needed to be happy… freedom, companionship and a little adventure. And when it comes to mares… ignorance is bliss. They are not breeding stallions and really don’t know mares exist. Since I have no previous experience with stallions, I have always trusted that if something needed to change, they would show me.
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